The author of the new book The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America just finished a marathon year of eating barbecue in 48 states eating at 365 restaurants. Here's what he learned along the way.

Amateur barbecue fan Johnny Fugitt wanted to learn more about barbecue, so he did what any of us would: Googled around and read "Top 10" and "10 Best" lists. What he saw disappointed him. In his eyes, the lists would've been more aptly named "10 Most Famous" or "10 Best-Marketed." Fugitt wanted answers, so he took matters into his own hands—by dropping everything and road tripping around 48 states to chow down. It took a year of eating his face off at 365 barbecue joints around the country, but the once-total newbie came out a bonafide barbecue-eating encyclopedia with a list of the 100 best and a book, The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America. What did he learn along the way—and how did he stay sane while getting his hands dirty?

How He Ranked (and Chose His #1)

"My palate kind of changed. I had been a Kansas City barbecue fan, and now I'm a Texas fan," Fugitt, an officer in the United States Navy Reserve and freelance writer, said. He stuck to a rubric: 40 points available for meat, 20 for sauce, 20 for sides, and 20 left for an "it" factor. The number one, according to Fugitt?Kerlin BBQ in Austin, Texas. He raves about the bark, which protects a fatty, juicy brisket, and loves the sauce and sides too. He loves Franklin, and it made #7 on the list, but there's a certain charm about Kerlin, which is home to live music, yard games, and free beer on the weekends. It's a newer place, open less than two years, but "it completely blew me away. It's a mom-and-pop trailer that deserves national attention." He knows people will disagree: "I'm not going to make anyone happy with my list, but that's one of the interesting things about the project. People love arguing about barbecue. I think fanning the flames of the conversation, where everyone has their own tastes and preferences, is part of it."

Must-Know Differences in Barbecue Culture

After a year of traveling cross-country, chatting up some of the U.S.'s pitmasters, Fugitt's got a better handle on the differences in American barbecue culture. Geographically, he expected differences in food—with Texas-style, Kansas City-style, and Carolina-style being the big three. What Fugitt didn't expect were generation gaps. "There's an old guard that's been barbecuing for 25 to 50 years, and then a new wave that came in 10 to 15 years ago. Some of that new wave is taking a local, artisan approach, which can be done well, but there are so many places that are just hipster whiskey bars," he said. "It's easy to make passable barbecue, but it's incredibly hard to do on an elite level."

Even though the new guard and old guard sometimes seem at odds, the younger operations often train with the experienced pros. "You get these coaching trees, where one person learned from a pitmaster, then started their own restaurant. It's interesting to see the styles translate down the line." As an example, "there are probably six or seven barbecue restaurants in Atlanta that have the same mac 'n' cheese recipe because they've all worked underneath the same person."

Johnny Fugitt

Left: Mike Emerson, co-owner of Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis, which made it into the top 100. Right: Johnny Fugitt. Photo: Johnny Fugitt

How He Stayed Sane (and Avoided His Body Rebelling)

Somehow, Fugitt's body did the impossible. "I actually lost weight doing this," he said. That may be because he lugged a juicer around the country and juiced on his off-meals. He also swears that he ate more salads that year than ever before. How'd he do it? "I visited a couple of restaurants in a day then took a few days off, so I wouldn't get burned out on barbecue," he described.

Johnny Fugitt

Fugitt in a t-shirt from Dead End BBQ in Knoxville, TN eating at Yellow Dog Eats in Windermere, FL. Photo: Johnny Fugitt

Most Underrated Barbecue City

"Well, of course there's Memphis, which I should say goes along with Carolinas, Texas, and Kansas City as one of the big four," Fugitt explained. "But I was really, pleasantly surprised by Nashville." He loved Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant, Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, and Bar-B-Cutie. "In addition to just having great barbecue spots, Nashville contributed the cornbread pancake to the barbecue world. Some restaurants will put their pork on that, rather than a bun. It's so good," he said.

Tips for Barbecue-Eaters Everywhere

Fugitt has three tips for barbecue lovers. First, talk to locals. Fugitt got some of his best recommendations from people he met on the street or at gas stations. "That'll not be as helpful in parts of the country where barbecue's less part of the culture, but if you ask in South Carolina, you'll likely find a good hole-in-the-wall," he explained. Second, try to eat what the locals do best. "Even if you don't love mustard sauce, try it when you're in South Carolina," he said. Lastly, where there's smoke, there's barbecue. "Look for stacks of wood and look at their smokers. Certain smokers are better than others, and you want to see smoke coming out of the back of the restaurant."

Johnny Fugitt

Tray from Freedmen's Bar in Austin, Texas, which made it into the top 100. Photo: Johnny Fugitt

The Future of American Barbecue

According to Fugitt, barbecue's never been more popular. "People are traveling more, seeing things on TV, going to more competitions. Now you can get brisket almost anywhere in America, and you can get pulled pork in Texas," he described, adding that it's a double-edged sword: "In some way, we're losing some of barbecue's regional identity."